Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-11-03

OF the interests OF this county, nor
never have been.
That party was In full control of the
county during all the years our system of
turnpikes we're contracted and built. All
men who we're in the county at the time
know the result.
Five miles of turnpike, from ST.
Clairssille to Warnock. cost, in round
numbers, S65,0O0-an average Of Sl3. 3.o00
per mile, with comparatively little gTs-
ding.
Eight miles of turnpike. from Barnes
vile to Somerton. cost slO3. 900. in round
numbers, an average of SI2,875 per
mile.
Aud so on for quality.
Bonds of the county were issued, with
coupons attached, and such gross care>
lessness characterized their issue and
redemption and the keeping of the ac-
counts that an additional burden of
$4,000 was put upou the people. appa
reutly by duplicate payment of bonds
or coupons, or both.
Figures upon the tax duplicates in
| The hands of The Treasurer we're changed,
LII the one instance OF the Bridgeport
bank giving The Treasurer $4,000, and
defrauding the pc pie of that amount.
| The taxes of the bank amounted to
u
petrated by erasing the and putting
iu It's place, and then carrying the
cheat forward into the fUotings. The
fraud was detected by the succeeding
Auditor,-a Republican.
A dividend of 5000 upon the stock of
the Central Ohi3 Railroad owned by the
county was paid the Treasurer and
stuffed down into his pocket. That
fraud, likewise, was unearthed by Re-
publican Auditor, and the Treasurer
made disgorge.
the st. Clairsville Gazette attempted
to defend aud justify these robberies.
and roundIy abused all persons who in
any measure sought to protect the peo+
pie against them.
Last summer it Was cOnciusiyely
shown insthese columns
That Democratic Commissioners and
a Democratic Auditor deliberately con>
spired to build S25O.O0O court house
with 100000, and that, as a result,
bound to give the extra work to the orig
inal contractors, at, practically, their
own prices, the building will cost S4O,'
600 to $4,000 more than it would other
wise have cost.
That Democratic Auditors have is
sued warrants upon The treasury in de-
lance of law and of their oaths of Office,
and that their administrations have
been chiefly characterized by waste and
extrsvagance,
That, because of their stupidity, in
difference. and ignorance, fIom 100000
to $780, 900 have been lost IN the sggre-
gate of the personal valuation of the
county,
That Ross Barrett put into the
hands of the Treasurer tax duplicates
upon which were charged taxes amount
ing to about $4,000. without keeping
copies in his Office, thus putting it in the
power of the Treasurer to perpetrate
enormous frauds. by changing figures
upon the duplicates.
That he charged and received about
$S3 in excess OF the amount due him for
services uoder the Dow liquor law.
That be charged and received for as
sessin2 railroads about SI75 more than
he was entitled to.
That he accepted of annual passes
over the railroads be was required to as
sess for taxation, and thereby put him>
self under obligation TO those corpora
tiuDs that untitled hiR fur bis duties
under the law.
That Democratic Clerk of the Courts
CASH had failed to pay unclaimed costs
into the treasury, as required by law.
We have time and again challenged
any individual in the county to meet
these issues, or disproye auy of them.
Theie has been 40 attempt to do either.
They stand confessed.
The Auditors Office. under Democrat
ic control, has debauched and degraded
s,it h Airtu rnaoav avarv man it nould
gets its hands upon. Laws have been
detied, Its duties discharged in slip
shod, easy going, Indifferent fashion, tax.
payers seriously wrouged. and So many
persons having business relations with
it debaucbed and degraded, that is
viii require years of intelligent and
honest administration of its duties to
restore il 10 what il ought To be.